


this moment (between you and I)

by wandering_minds



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ash is crushing hard and is so weak for Blanca, Blanca and Ash are both little shits, M/M, Not really fluff but not really angst either, Takes place some time after Private Opinion, just a moment between an assassin and his protege
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 06:18:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18654661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wandering_minds/pseuds/wandering_minds
Summary: Ash and Blanca spend a quiet evening in the garden and Ash comes to a realization.





	this moment (between you and I)

It was rare, but there were moments of peace between him and this strange assassin. When Blanca wasn’t guiding him, helping Ash refine his rugged edges, he was in Dino’s garden. Sometimes he would leisurely enjoy the sun, other times he had book in his hand.

Ash hated the garden. He always felt like it was a cover up. A beautiful rose that often distracted onlookers from the thorns that were below. But Blanca had invoked a sense of curiosity in Ash that he thought had long since died. So when their lessons were done, Ash would follow him. They never spoke, not really. Ash wasn’t sure if he was grateful for that or not.

He shifted slightly, atop of the lush grass that surrounded his prison. Blanca sat next to him, hair undone and large hands holding a book with a cover so worn that Ash couldn’t even make out the title. They were under one of the larger trees in the garden. When Ash was younger, he would sometimes dream of climbing to the very top, sprouting wings and soaring through the sky with no destination in mind. It never mattered as long as he wasn’t trapped in this golden cage.

Ash closed his eyes, the breeze lightly caressing his locks. It was such a naive dream, he knew. But he always wondered what it would feel like to fly. To be weightless and free and not have to worry about what happened below him.

Ash sighed, shuffling around once more. Blanca, noticing his shiftiness, glanced at him with raised brow. “Restless?” He questioned, voice low and soft as if he was worried about disturbing the quiet peace surrounding them. Ash shook his head.

“Just thinking.”

“Oh?” Blanca turned back to his book, flipping the page. “Anything you wish to share, Kitten?”

Ash bristled at the nickname despite the strange flutter it brought to his chest. “Don’t call me that,” he hissed. Blanca chuckled, slipping a book mark in between the pages before setting it the side. He turned to Ash with an amused tilt to his lips but his eyes held a genuine apologetic look. “My apologies. It won’t happen again.”

Ash simply grumbled. “Whatever.”

Blanca let out a small hum and tilted his head slightly, dark brown strands falling over his face. Ash had the ridiculous urge to tuck them behind his ear. “What were you reading?” Ash blurted out, face slightly flushed. Blanca blinked at him before lips stretched into a small smile.

“Fairy tales,” Blanca answered simply. Ash scrunched up his nose in confusion. “Really?” He asked, unsure of what to do with the image of an assassin reading fairy tales. Blanca noticed Ash’s bewilderment and simply gazed at the boy with amusement.

“Yes. I read them when I was child,” Blanca said, fingers lighting grazing the spine of the book next to him. There was a distant look in his eye, his mind clearly wandering to his childhood. Ash shivered. He couldn’t imagine Blanca as kid and large part of him didn’t want to. Ash knew how disgusting the world could be and how kids can end up on the wrong side of it, bruised and broken. He didn’t want to imagine Blanca looking like the kids on the street, dirty and doing whatever it took to survive even if it meant sacrificing his dignity. It brought an uneasy sensation to his chest that he didn’t know how to handle.

‘ _Was he like me? Did people touch him?’_

The thoughts were sudden and the effect was immediate. A wave of nausea crashed onto him brutally. No, Blanca couldn’t have been like him. Blanca was strong. Stronger than anyone he’s ever seen.

A soft touch startled him from his thoughts. Ash flinched, sitting up abruptly. “Don’t touch me!” Ash snapped before he realized what was going on. Blanca’s hand hovered from where he had touched Ash’s arm. He looked so startled himself, just as shocked by Ash’s reaction as Ash himself was. Ash suddenly felt terrible.

“Sorry. Force of habit,” he mumbled, looking away. Blanca made a small noise, acknowledging Ash’s response before falling silent once more. Only this time it felt more stifling and uncomfortable. Ash fiddled with his fingers. He opened his mouth. He closed it. Shit. Fuck. Ash dig his nails into his palm out of frustration. Why did he have to make things so awkward.

Blanca, seemingly noticing his distress, spoke softly. “I used to believe in them, you know.”

Ash lifted his head and he and Blanca locked eyes. They were so much darker compared to his. But there were specks of blue that had Ash captivated. Blanca continued to speak.

“When I was little, I used to think that monsters that cruel and cunning only existed in fairy tales.” Blanca broke eye contact, lifting the worn book and stared at it with a somber expression. “It was quite a childish notion,” he finished.

Ash thought of his baseball coach. The first person to show Ash how.... _heartless_ people could be. ‘Who taught Blanca that lesson?’ He wondered silently. Ash shook his head slightly before scooting closer to Blanca. The larger man looked down at him in mild surprise. Ash tossed him a careless grin.

“What did you do when you were little?” Ash asked, tired of the depressing little bubble they fell into. His life was depressing enough, he didn’t need to add more to it when it could be avoided. Blanca grinned back at him.

“Depends on what you mean by little. Little little or little?” He quipped, just like the smartass he was. Ash rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Little, jackass. Like, six or some shit,” Ash replied, leaning back on his hands. Blanca chuckled, leaning to bump shoulder with his playfully.

“Well, I was a lot like you.”

Ash’s brows shot up in surprise. “Really?”

Blanca nodded solemnly. “Yes. I, too, was a depressed little shit that spent his time reading old literature and wreaking havoc.”

Ash’s mouth fell open. “You asshole!”

Blanca laughed heartily, raising his hands to defend himself as Ash shoved at his shoulders, trying to knock him over. “Is a little kitten trying to claw at me?” He asked with a mischievous smirk.

“I said don’t call me that!”

“Technically, I didn’t. I just compared you to one.”

Ash let out a growl before tackling Blanca to the ground. A rush of air escaped him as the two fell. Ash took advantage of his teacher’s surprise and sat on top of his chest, pinning his arms with his legs. It wouldn’t do anything in the long run, Blanca was just too damn big, but at least his form was good.

Ash glared down at Blanca, who still had that damned smirk on his face. “You’re a dick.”

Blanca let out a huff of laughter. “I’ve been called worse, маленький чертенок.” Ash tilted his head at the foreign words.

“What does that mean?”

“Little imp.”

Ash pouted petulantly at him. “You’re so damn rude,” he huffed. Blanca nodded in agreement. “That is true. We assassins aren’t the honorable sort,” Blanca joked.

Ash ignored him, content with his position on top of his teacher. It was a nice view, if he were being honest. Blanca’s hair fanned out beneath him and his dark eyes looked up at him curiously. Ash felt a strange thrill within him. Feeling bold, he pushed away the strands surrounding Blanca’s face. They were soft beneath his fingertips and Ash silently marveled at the contrast of someone so dangerous having features so soft and beautiful. 

“The grass is gonna be a pain to get out your hair,” he muttered quietly. Blanca didn’t respond at first. His lifted his hands, tenderly but firmly placing them on Ash’s thighs. Ash tensed but they didn’t travel any higher. They didn’t demand anything that Ash wasn’t willing to give. The two of them sat like that for a brief moment before Blanca gently pushed Ash off him. The blond got off willingly and Blanca stood, brushing stray grass from his pants.

“We should head back inside. It’s starting to get late and I’m waking you up early tomorrow.” Blanca picked up his book from the ground and tucked it under his arm. He held out his hand for Ash. He took it graciously and lifted himself up, uncaring of the dirt or grass that covered him. Blanca’s hand lingered for a moment before letting go. Without another word, he turned and made his way back towards the mansion with Ash in tow.

As Ash watched the retreating form of his teacher, he quietly wondered if this was what love felt like.


End file.
